Step or stoop protector



(No Model.) 4 A J. H. POTTS.

STEP OR STUOP PROTBCTGR.

Patented Aug. 276, i884.

S N n W 1an. D. C.

lUNrrnD STATES nrnnrr` @lirica JOSEPH HUNT POTTS, OF PHILADELPHIA,PENNSYLVANIA.

STEP OR STOOP PROTECTOR.

PECIICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 304,128, dated August 26,1884.

Application filed January 28. 1384. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that l', Josnrrr H. Porrs, a citizen ot' the United States,residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State ofPennsylvania., have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stepor Stoop Pro"- tectors, of which the following is a specification,reference boing had therein to the accompanying drawings, wherein*HFigure l is a perspective illustrating the application of the protectorto the outside steps of a house or building. Fig. 2 is a brokenperspective showing a roll of the protector material, or the form inwhich it is made upV for the market. Figs?, ande are respectively abroken elevation and perspective of the lower and upper end fasteningsfor securing the protector' in position upoh aiiight of steps. Figs. 5and 6 are elevations illustrating modifications in construction of theprotector. Fig. is a perspective of another modification. Figs. S, 9,10, and 11 are edge views of various further modifications, and Fig. l2is a perspective of still another modification illy invention hasrelation to protectors or coverings for the inside and outside steps oi'buildings or houses, particularly the outside steps,whereby they arepreserved from undue wear, and are kept clean and free from icyaccumulations.

Heretofore removable wooden steps have been used as a protector orcovering for the outside steps oi' houses; but such covering has to bespecially made to suit or fit each step of the iiight designed to beprotected, and will not, therefore, tit other ilights of steps that varyin size or number. The expense of these Wooden steps and the time andlabor consumed in placing them in position upon the outside steps limitthe extent of their use in Winter, and that, together with their bulkyand unsi ghtly appearance, utterly condemns them for use temporarily orotherwise during rainy or muddy weather in summer.

My invention has for its object to avoid these disadvantages byproviding a flexible weighted protector or covering` which is easily andquickly pnt down upon and removed from the steps,wliich can be made tolit or conform to the various risers and treads of the different stepsin the flight without requiring special manipulation to obtain such titor conformation, and which, in like manner, can be made to fit other ordifierent flights or sets of steps having like or unlike risers andtreads. n

The protector possesses suificient flexibility to permit of its beingfitted to the steps and to fold or roll u p into a compact form when notin use, and although its attached Weight is also flexible, to providefor such fitting and rolling or folding, yet it affords the necessarygravity for imparting to t-heproteetor the requisite rigidity toenableit to maintain itself upon the steps and prevent its beingaccidentally displaced or blown ofi" or raised therefrom by the wind.

My invention accordingly consists of the novel combination,construction, and arrangement of parts forming a flexible Weightedprotector or covering, as hereinafter described and claimed; and it'further consists of a flexible Weighted protector having corner or endfastening devices for securing it in position upon the steps designed tobe protected.

In the drawings, A, Pig. l, represents the protector in position upon aAiiightof steps. lt is composed of a layer or layers of duckcanvas,rubber, carpet, matting, or other suitable or desired flexible material,B, which may be of any desired Width. At its edges b are secured narrowstrips C, of' thin sheetlead or other flexible metal or material whichwill give weight to the fabric B. These lead strips may be inserted inhems formed by the overlapping or turning over of the edges b of fabricB, as indicated in Figs. l and et, or be cemented thereto, asrepresented in Fig. 9; or they may be riveted to the fabric B or securedtherein in the act of Weaving, molding, or forming it, or be affixedthereto in any other suitable or desired manner.

In addition to the edge strips or weights, C, the fabric B may also havelike lead strips secured in or at its middle part or interposed betweenthe edge strips. The middle strip or weight may be arrangedlongitudinally or parallel with the edge strips, as shown in Fig. 5, orbe composed of a series of short transverse strips, as indicated in Fig.6. lf desired, the edge and longitudinally-arrangedcentral strips IOO ,then connected to their fastening-eyes, andthe Q scalza may be dispensedwith, and transverse strips or Weights running from edge to edge oftheprotector be substituted, as illustrated in Fig. 7. These stripsfmay benarrow flat lead strips riveted to fabric B, as indicated insaidlastnamed figure, or they may have a triangular, square, oblong, orcircular outline in crossseetion, as shown in Figs. 8 to 11, inclusive.rIhey may be cemented to the fabric B, as indicated in Figs. 8 and 9, orbe inserted therein in the act of making or forming it. (See Figs. l andll.)

Instead of using lead or other strips to Weight the fabric I3, theformer may be of the same Width as the latter, and be inserted betweentwo layers of such fabric; or said parts may be otherwise arranged andsecured together, as desired. The protector A may be made in shortlengths of standard sizes, or it may be manufactured so that it can berolled up like carpet, as indicated in Fig. 2, for convenience inhandling when selling or cutting the material in suitable lengths, suchlengths being enough to reach from the sill of the door to the pavementand conform to the risers and treads of all the steps to be covered orprol'ected. The cut piece or protector is then provided at each of itscorners with fasteninghooks d, which are riveted to the lead strips C,as shown more plainly in Figs. 3 and 4, and engage with eyes d', driveninto the floor of the house, ljust back of the sill-piece E, and intothe pavement F. If desired, the hooks ci maybe inserted into the silland pavement, and the eyes il secured to the protector; or it may beprovided with any other suitable devices, or, if desired, they may bedispensed with.

To place the protector in position upon a flight of steps, its upper endor corner hooks are inserted in their respective fastening-eyes. Theprotector' is then spread over the steps and bent to rest upon orconform to the rise and tread of each step. Its lower end hooks areprotector is thereby securelyheld in position. lts flexibility permitsit to be easily and quickly laid upon, and adjusted to the steps, and itis as readily removed therefrom. 'When not in use, itis folded orrolledupto a compact form. The Weight C gives to the protector sufficientrigidity to prevent its bei ng drawn out of shape by the scraping offeet or travel over it, and whereby it maintains itself in position, sothat it cannot be raised from the steps or otherwise l accidentallydisplaced bythe force of the Wind 1 or from other causes.

The cheapness of the protector, combined with the convenience with whichit can be placed upon and removed from the steps, commend it for use foreither long or short intervals at any season of the year.

I have shown and described. my invention as being particularly adaptedfor protecting the outside steps of houses; but it is obvious that itmay be used as a covering for inside steps, floors of kitchens,outhouses, or other like fixtures and places.

I am aware that extensible step-protectors have been made; but whenextended they do not entirely cover the tread of the step,there bypermitting dirt to be deposited upon the latter 5 also, that otherprotectors of sheet metal have been used, but these are merely employedto prevent wear of the steps; also, that rubber mats or protectors arenow used for like purpose; but I am'not aware of a step-protector formedof a continuous piece of flexible material having attachedstrips orweights, as set forth.

W'hat I claim is- 1. A flexible continuous weighted protector orcovering for door-steps, substantially as shown and described.

2. The protector or covering A, composed of a layer of continuousflexible material and attached Weight or lead strips, substantially asshown and described.

8. Acontinuous flexible weighted protector or covering having corner orend fastening devices, substantially as shown and described.

et. The protector A, composed of the continuous flexible fabric B andWeight C, substantially shown and described.

5. The door-step protector A, composed of a continuous iiexible layer,B, having loaded or weighted edges I), substantially as shown anddescribed.

6. vAs a new article of manufacture, a iiexible Weighted door-stepprotector or covering material formed as a continuous Web, substantially as shown and described.

7. Acontinuous or nnjointed Weighted cov- I JOSEPH HUNT POTTS.

Vitnesses:

S. J. VAN SrAvonnN, Crus. F. TAN HORN.

IOO

